Drive knock-off motions for carding machines



P 0, 1968 J. M. .1. VARGA 3,38

DRIVE KNOCK-OFF MOTIONS FOR CARDING MACHINES Filed Nov. 12, 1964 5; Sheets-Sheet April 1963 J. M. J. VARGA 3,380,125

DRIVE KNOCK-OFF MOTIONS FOR CARDING MACHINES Filed NOV. 12, 1964 I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q I! v- .ko J a E i April 30, 1968 J. M. J. VARGA DRIVE KNOCK-OFF MOTIONS FOR CARDING MACHINES Filed Nov. 12, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 April 30, 1968 J. M. J. VARGA 3,330,125

DRIVE KNOCK-OFF MOTIONS FOR CARDING MACHINES Filed Nov. 1-2, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 April 30, 1968 J..M. J. VARGA 3,330,125

DRIVE KNOCK-OFF MOTIONS FOR CARDING MACHINES Filed Nov. 12, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 United States Patent 3,380,125 DRIVE KNOCK-OFF MOTIONS FOR CARDING MACHINES John M. J. Varga, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, asrjgnor to Carding Specialists (Canada) Limited, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, a corporation of Canada Filed Nov. 12, 1964, Ser. No. 410,478 Claims priority, application Great Britain, Apr. 13, 1964, 15,090/ 64 Claims. (Cl. 19.25)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A carding machine drive knock-off motion control mechanism having a first cable operatively connected to a spring loaded plunger which is held in operative position by a catch member and to a junction means, a second cable is operatively connected to the junction means and a resetting mechanism and a third cable is operatively connected to the resetting mechanism and an operating lever of a carding machine. The movement of the catch member by a lap rod or a lap feeling roller associated therewith, releases the spring loaded plunger whereby the operating lever of the carding machine is moved thereby stopping the carding machine.

This invention relates to controlling the drive of carding machines with the object of automatically stopping the machine when required, say should a sliver break, or change its tension, or the lap run out or be of incorrect thickness or for some other action according to which the machine should be stopped.

Carding machines, particularly high speed machines for the cotton industry, have drive control means in the form of a pivoted lever adapted to be moved from a stop position into at least one driving position in relation to lever retension means such as a gate. It is quite customary for such a gate to have three positions, i.e., stop, intermediate speed and fast speed.

There is a growing tendency, and particularly with high speed carding, for control means to be provided on carding machines to automatically stop the machine should there be some sub-normal or other occurance in regard to the carding operation which requires stoppage of the machine.

According to the present invention there is provided drive knock-off motion control means for a carding machine, comprising a cable system including cables and r cable operating means mounted adjacent at least one movable part of the carding machine, a control element for said operating means arranged to be moved by inadvertent movement of said machine part, a control device for the drive operating lever of the machine, said device being connected into the cable system, and system re-setting means interposed in the cable system, whereby operation by the machine part of said control element causes tension in the cable system to release the re-setting means and thus to cause the drive control lever to stop the machine.

The or each cable operating device may comprise a spring loaded plunger to which a cable may be adjustably or otherwise attached, such plunger being normally retained by catch means to be operated by a machine part. Alternatively, the catch retained spring loaded plunger may operate a hydraulic system.

The operating device may be adapted to be associated with any combination of the usual machine lap rod, the lap feed roller (there may be one at each end) for lap thickness, a sliver measuring motion, the coiler calender rollers and a scavenger roller used for clearing one of 3,380,125- Patented Apr. 30, 1968 the wire clothed rollers at the delivery end of the carding machine.

The lap to be fed into a carding machine is usually mounted on a so-called lap rod having its ends mounted in vertical guide slots and as the roll decreases the rod moves down the guide slots. When the lap runs out one end of the lap rod can be arranged to operate an aforesaid pivoted catch to release its plunger. A lap is usually fed into a carding machine by means of at least one feed roller which is mounted so that it is pressed onto the lap by spring loaded or weighted lever means and should the lap be too thick the roller will be raised, at least at one end. A pivoted catch can be located at each end of this roller to be operated by the rising movement of the roller or the weight carrying levers.

The invention will now be more particulraly described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a general arrangement of drive knock-off control means for a carding machine;

FIG. 2 is a top plan of FIGURE 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional detail elevation of the setting mechanism for the control means which is in the released position;

FIG. 4 is a similar elevation to FIG. 3 but showing the control means in the re-setting position; and

FIG. 5 is a similar elevation to FIG. 3 but showing the mechanism in the set position.

As shown in a general manner in FIGURES 1 and 2, a carding machine, the frame of which is indicated by reference 1, can be furnished with a number of knock-off motion devices 2 associated with selected movable parts in a machine. In this particular instance the devices are used for lap run-out control and for controlling the drive in relation to lap-thickness. The motion control means comprises a number of operating cables 3, 4 each having one end adjustably or otherwise attached to a device 2. Each device 2 comprises a spring loaded plunger 5 located in a mounting bracket 6 and normally held in its inward position by a spring loaded pivoted catch 7 engaging its outer end. When the catch 7 is moved the plunger 5 will be released to shoot out a limited distance and in so doing pull its cable 3 or 4 which at its other end is detacha-bly secured to junction means 8 common to all (or some) of both these operating cables. Conveniently the means 8 is a multi-grooved pulley carried by a shaft 9 in mounting brackets 10 on the machine frame 1. Each cable 3 and 4 is passed partly round the junction pulley 8 and secured at 11. The pulley may be on a short spindle 'but as shown shaft 9 passes from one side of the machine frame to the other with pulleys 8 on both sides of the machine. These cables 3, 4 are guided in flexible or rigid sheathings, and being of the type generally referred to as brake cables. This is in order that pull from the junction pulley 8 is easily transferred to the knock-off motion devices 2 irrespective of the position of devices 2 with relation to the pulley 8. A single cable 12 is attached at 11a to one pulley 8 and passes away in the opposite direction to cables 3 and 4. The other end of this cable 12 is secured to a re-setting roller 13 (it may be a disc) mounted in a bracket 14 and provided with a pivoted operating pedal 15. A hand operated lever could be substituted for the pedal.

This cable 12, which is relatively long compared with cables 3 and'4, usually passes in a virtually straight line from the periphery of pulley 8 to the re-setting roll 13. As a result, it need not be guided by an external sheath, and there is no friction loss along this cable. The use of junction pulley 8 in this manner much reduces the total friction in the cable system, as the use and length of high friction sheathed cables is kept to a minimum. It will be understood that depending upon the position of the device 2, junction means 8 and re-setting mechanism 16, the cables 3 and 4 and/or 12 may be passed round guide pulleys .or other guide means in known manner which would eliminate the need for cables 3, 4 to be of the sheathed type.

As shown more particularly in FIGURES 3 to the resetting mechanism 16 includes a roller 13 (it may be a disc) which has a gapped ring 17 furnished with an anchorage segment 18 to which the cable 12. is attached. A tension Spring 19 pulls the roller 13 in one direction to keep the cables 3, 4 and 12 from being slack. For setting purposes a hole is furnished through the segment 18 and one through pulley 8 with a further hole in each of the brackets and 14 so that a pin 20 and a pin 21 can be pushed through each pair of holes when is register and thus hold the roller 13 and pulley 8 in a set position. This is employed only for the fixing of the cable 12, or resetting should it stretch, as the cable can be drawn taut and secured by the screw 11a. The aforesaid pedal 15 is pivoted at 22 and provided with a tail end 23 to which a sheathed cable 24 is attached to pass out through the top of the bracket 14.. This latter cable is secured to a displaceable part 25 which operates the usual retaining gate of the machine drive operating lever. This arrangement of course is such that a pull on the cable 24' will move the part 25 to release the operating lever for it to shift into its stop position, and thus arrest the drive of the carding machine. The pedal 15 is also furnished with a short arm 27 carrying a roller 28 which can pass through the gap 2 in the ring 17 of theroller 13. A spring pulls the pedal to its released position (FIG. 3).

The operation of the re-setting mechanism 16, as shown in the order of FIGURES 3 to 5 is that when downward pressure is applied to the pedal 15 the arm 27 will enter gap 29 and press on the ring 17 at the bottom edge of the gap to rotate the roller and thus pull the cable 12. This will rotate grooved pulleys 8 to exert a pull on cables 3 and 4. This action draws the plungers 5 of devices 2 downwardly so that the spring loaded pivoted catches 7 will slip into position to hold each plunger in its withdrawn position. When pedal 15 has been pressed down sufiiciently far enough so that all catches 7 have moved into position to engage their respective plungers 5 (see FIG. 4), the pressure on pedal 15 can be removed for spring 30 to raise the pedal until its lever roller 28 engages against the ring 17 and is restrained from moving further.

As shown one of the devices 2 (there can be one at each side of the machine) is associated with the guide slot 31 in which one end of the usual lap holding rod 32 is mounted for its lap to be fed into the carding machine. When the lap runs out its rod 32 will contact the tail end 33 of the device 2 to rock the catch 7 over and thus release plunger 5 which will pull the roller 13 round on its axis against the action of the light spring 19 and thus cause the roller 28 to move out through the gap 29 under the action of the spring 30 pulling on the pedal 15. Thus the cable 24 will be pulled to release or pull the drive operating lever. There will be a similar action should the lap become thicker by the positioning of a device 2 having its tail end 33 of its catch 7 positioned in association with a pin 34 projecting from the usual weight arm 35 of the usual lap feeling roller 36 provided on a cardingv machine to press onto a lap which runs into the carding machine between the roller 36 and the feed plate 37. Should the lap run thicker than the required thickness the weighted arm 35 will move upwardly and rock the tail end 33 over for the catch 7 to release the plunger of this device 2 and thus cause the aforesaid action through the re-setting mechanism 16. When the operation of knock-off release has occurred the re-setting operation can take place by pressure on the foot pedal 15 to cause the re-setting action shown in FIG. 4 and on release of pressure from pedal 15 this mechanism will again be set as shown in FIGURE 5.

It cannow be understood how ease of setting up and considerable working reliability can be obtained in what would otherwise be a system both hard to set up and sensitive to misadjustments during operation.

'For setting up, the pulley 8 and rolier 13, are fixed in the predetermined position by pins 20 and 21. Plungers 5 are depressed manually so they are held by their catches 7. The inner ends of cables 3, 4 and 24, and cable 12 are adjusted so they are about finger tight between their two respective fixings. Pins 20 and 21 are removed, and the system is operational.

When pedal 15 is depressed completely (FIG. 4) all plungers 5 are retracted sufficiently to leave space (B) between their ends and catch 7. Hence, this amount of cable stretch and general misadjustment (equal to said space) can occur before a plunger and catch fail to engage. It should be noted that should conditions arise such that any one plunger 5 does not engage its catch 7 when pedal 15 is fully depressed, the re-setting mechanism itself can not be cocked. This is an additional safeguard preventing the operation of the card unless all devices are properly cocked.

Similarly, when device 2 is in the released position, plunger 5 advances sufficiently forward, before being stopped by the top of its bracket 6, to move the gap 29 in the ring 17 sufiiciently round to leave a space (C) between the gap end and roller 28 when lever 27 is in the off position. This space (C) again assumes that in spite of a degree of stretch in the cables and a degree of misadjustment the system will still function.

As lap rods 32 usually have a head at one end it is considered a precaution should be taken that the rod is positioned correctly to be able to operate a device 2, i.e. engage the tail end 33 of a catch 7. To ensure this a block 33 is secured to one side of the guide 31, on the side of the machine frame where a device 2 is positioned, and such block may have an inclined face 39 so that there is a wedge formation which will automatically push out the head of a rod 32 if it should be in an innermost position. Although the description states that the re-setting means includes a roller or a disc with a gapped ring, an equivalent member may be used for example a gapped catch provided with upper and lower jaws between which the arm 27 and roller 28 can pass. The roller 28 may be made of nylon or equivalent material.

What I claim is:

1. Drive knock-off motion control means in combination with a carding machine having a plurality of actuating parts including a lap holding rod, a lap feeling roller, a drive operating lever and a control device therefor, said drive knock-off motion control means comprising a cable system incorporating connection cables; cable operating means comprising (1) at least one spring-loaded plunger means connected to a first cable of said connection cables and mounted adjacent at least one of said actuating'parts of said carding machine;

(2) spring-loaded pivoted catch means engageable with said plunger means and arranged to he moved to an inoperative position by a reselected movement of one of said actuating parts,

junction means being connected to said first cable and to a second cable of said cable system; and resetting means interposed between said'second cable and a third cable of the cable system, said third cable being operatively connected to said operating lever; said re-setting means including a manually operated pivoted element connected to second cable which on crates said junction means; rotary means forming part of said re-setting means and anchored to one cable of the cable system, said rotary means being spring-loaded in said second direction which tensions said cable,

said manual operating element having a part engaged with said rotary means to operate the latter against the pull of said second cable in the direction of the spring loading for setting purposes,

said manually operated pivoted element being arranged to retain said rotary means against the pull of its spring loading when operating pressure is released from the operating element,

said re-setting means being adapted to withdraw and thus re-set said spring loaded operating plunger means through the medium of said first and second cables of said cable system,

said pivoted catch means being arranged to automatically hold said plunger means until operated by said pre-selected movement of that actuating part with which it is associated,

whereby operation by said actuating part of said knockoff motion control means causes tension in the cable system to turn said rotary means and to release said pivoted element of said re-setting means and thus to cause the drive operating lever to stop the carding machine.

2. Drive knock-off motion control means according to claim 1, wherein the rotary means comprise a member with a gapped ring and furnished with a projection to which said second cable of the cable system is anchored.

3. Drive knock-off motion control means according to claim 2, wherein the rotary means are carried by a mounting bracket, said control means further comprising means to hold the rotary means in a fixed position temporarily whilst a cable attached thereto with the required tension.

4. Drive knock-off motion control means according to claim 1, where the manual operating element comprises a pivoted foot pedal, said pedal having a tail end secured to said third cable, said pedal having an arm furnished with a roller to operate and be retained by the rotary means attached to the cable system.

5. Drive knock-off motion control means according to claim 1, wherein a shaft extends through the carding machine and is rotatably supported in supporting means on either side of said carding machine, and wherein the junction means comprise multi-grooved pulleys located on each side of the carding machine and connected by a through shaft for part of the cable system to lie on each side of the carding machine.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 493,870 3/1893 Lawry 19.24 587,267 7/1897 Meats et al 19-.23 3,251,093 5/1966 Maynard et al 19--.25 X

FOREIGN PATENTS 34,322 12/ 1928 France. 651,593 10/1928 France. 489,648 1/ 1930 Germany.

MERVIN STEIN, Primary Examiner. D NEWTON, Examiner. 

